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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30122028">The Importance of Being Ivri</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gimmemocha/pseuds/Gimmemocha'>Gimmemocha</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Ivrianna &amp; the Cobalt Company [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>World of Warcraft</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Humor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 11:41:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,226</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30122028</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gimmemocha/pseuds/Gimmemocha</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>This week's challenge was to write your character as a child. Look, it's World of Warcraft not World of Sunshine and Puppy Rainbows. There's a lot of trauma, a lot of drama, and plenty of stories I could've chosen from Ivri's childhood that are darker than dark. Her eldest brother. Her mother losing her leg as they escaped Lordaeron. But I needed something cute and charming for today, and SOMEone gave me a great title, so here's Ivri and how she got her nickname.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Ivrianna &amp; the Cobalt Company [4]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2184330</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Importance of Being Ivri</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Karson Barlowe dangled his fishing line in the water without much hope for catching anything. He wasn't sure he'd let his family eat anything he did happen to catch; Lordaeron harbor was a fine place for shipping, but the quality of the water (and therefore the fish in it) wasn't all that could be desired. </p>
<p>For a moment, he wished they were back on the farm, fishing from the pond a short hike into the woods. But the farm was gone, wrecked by the passage of too many battles and too many years. </p>
<p>Besides, there were some compensations. He looked down at the tiny form tucked against his side. Ivrianna, his only daughter, looked back at him, tipping her little face up to gaze at him from wide blue eyes so full of adoration and devotion.</p>
<p>He had to smile, creases wrinkling his eyes and cheeks. When his sons looked at him, a man could feel pride and a sense of providing for the future of his land. But with a daughter, oh, that smile was for him alone and he hoarded it against his heart. Those eyes could make him feel strong and brave and everything she thought he was.</p>
<p>"Ivrianna," he said.</p>
<p>"Iwwianun," she replied.</p>
<p>He chuckled, and she beamed at him as he did. He should correct her, but even her mistakes were precious to him. </p>
<p>"Ewwie," mumbled the boy to his left.</p>
<p>"Tomlin," he chided. Gently, for the boy was still fretting at the restrictions that kept him at his parents' home. Ten was a tough time for a lad, he knew, and Tomlin had it worse than he himself had. It was only three days ago that Alexian had been placed as a squire, and Tomlin wanted more than anything to grow up.</p>
<p>True, the boy had relished the chance to spend time alone with his father, but today Josette was on patrol and Ivri had to accompany them. That small change had seemed to use up the last of the boy's meager store of patience, and he'd been pecking at his baby sister all morning. Soon, Karson knew, he'd have to bring the boy up short.</p>
<p>The baby sister in question had squirmed away behind him, doubtless to glare at Tomlin. Karson sighed at the brewing fight and wondered how long he should let it go on. With the lads, he'd let them settle most of their own squabbles until the hitting got too serious, but if Tomlin took a swing at Ivrianna the way he would at Alexian or Garrett, he could do her serious harm.</p>
<p>And Karson would probably toss him into the bay. That would not be one of his finer moments. He did love his son, after all.</p>
<p>"Iw. Wie!" Ivri said with careful, if angry, enunciation.</p>
<p>Tomlin clambered his feet, his fishing pole forgotten. "Eww," he mocked. "Ewwie, you're gross!"</p>
<p>Karson looked over his shoulder, then turned to face the siblings. Kids were surprisingly nimble sometimes. He wanted visual cues to know when he should grab one flailing body or another.</p>
<p>"No!" Ivri said. That word, she'd learned early and well. "You gose!"</p>
<p>"Ewwie, Ewwie, Ewwie," Tomlin taunted, delighted with having gotten a rise out of a two-year-old. Hardly a monumental feat, Karson supposed. He could intervene – he wasn't about to have any of his sons grow into bullies – but Ivri had to learn how to grow up in a household full of older boys. If she didn't learn how to defend herself against taunts, if he protected her at every turn, she'd live a miserable life.</p>
<p>"You poop!" she yelled at her brother.</p>
<p>The volume had gotten loud enough to attract attention. Karson stood, towering over his two small children. Ridiculous, how they made him feel like an awkward giant. He should be used to the size difference by now. "Ivrianna, ye'll not be callin' yer brother poop. Tomlin, ye know 'ow ter say 'er name, she's just a wee lass yet t'learn."</p>
<p>"Only dumb people can't say their own names," Tomlin mumbled.</p>
<p>Karson decided he hadn't been meant to hear it, so he could ignore it.</p>
<p>Ivri stuck her tongue out at her brother, accompanying it with a ferocious glare. "You dumb!"</p>
<p>"You're WEE-WEE," Tomlin shouted back.</p>
<p>Ivri stomped her feet, planting them firmly against the dock. Her tiny fists clenched tight at her sides,  head tipped back to the hot sun overhead. "NO!" she howled, covering Karson's own sharp protest at his son.</p>
<p>Before he could react, Ivri launched herself at her brother. She caught him full center mass and sent him tumbling backwards off the dock and into the water.</p>
<p>Karson nodded a little, impressed. It had been a nice hit. If she'd had a shield, she'd have done real damage. He turned and knelt, stretching out a hand to his youngest son paddling himself afloat. "Up y'get, lad," he said calmly. Karson caught hold of Tomlin's outstretched wrist and lifted him easily up onto the wood, giving him a rough pat on the shoulder.</p>
<p>At least Tomlin knew better than to look to his father for justice. In a household of six sons, there had been enough scuffles for everyone to know that if you deserved a licking, you took it and got on with your life. Both parents would step in if things were ever unfair or unjust, but calling your sister 'wee-wee' and getting shoved into water were roughly equivalent, as far as sibling battles went.</p>
<p>Nor did Karson require either sibling to apologize to the other. They had settled things, everyone was fine, and if Ivri was looking smug and Tomlin was looking sullen, that was acceptable. He could also be sure Tomlin wouldn't be using the 'Wee-wee' nickname again.</p>
<p>Ivri hadn't yet learned how to let things go, it seemed. "Not wee-wee," she said.</p>
<p>Tomlin's temper flashed back to life. "WEEVIL!" he yelled.</p>
<p>Karson sighed.</p>
<p>"AM NOT!" Ivri screamed.</p>
<p>"You don't even know what a weevil is, Weevil!"</p>
<p>"Tomlin, yer done, lad," Karson said. </p>
<p>Tomlin subsided and gave his father a look tinged with fear. That bothered him. He'd never struck any of his children; he didn't need to. But maybe Tomlin feared spending a day scrubbing soot off the ceiling beams. Again. Karson gave his son's hair a ruffle, the boy's head neatly filling his palm. </p>
<p>Tomlin peered up at Karson with a sheepish grin. He knew he'd been forgiven, and things were well between them. He had to smile at the boy. He was a good lad. He'd be a good man. "Get the poles, boy," he said. </p>
<p>Ivri tugged at his pants leg, and Karson looked down at her. Her blue eyes were huge and sad and full of tears, tiny button of a nose dribbling something nasty over her little bow lips. "Wassa webil?" she asked.</p>
<p>He bent to scoop an arm under her bottom and lifted her up to snuggle against him. "It's something tiny and brown," he said, his other hand dropping to touch Tomlin's shoulder. It was enough to keep the boy from any further explanation. </p>
<p>Ivri laid her head on her father's shoulder, thumb in her mouth. "Webil," she agreed.</p>
<p>"Weevil," he muttered. "Aye, an' she'll be livin' with that one, I think."</p>
<p>Tomlin's happy laughter went unremarked as Karson nudged him forward, the trio heading for home.</p>
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